Alexa Charlize D.C. Geronimo
CN16
11-Faith
Genocide of Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines: the Lumad of Mindanao
Among the vast number of atrocities in the Philippines, genocide of indigenous peoples
is one less spoken of. The term genocide was first coined by Raphael Lemkin in 1944, using the
Greek word ​genos (race, tribe) and the Latin word ​cide ​(killing) (Totten & Hitchcock, 2002). The
act is, as cited by the Convention on Genocide (1948), defined as the intentional maltreatment,
abuse, and destruction of an ethnic, religious, or racial group among others (Totten & Hitchcock,
2002). Historically, some of the most infamous genocide events in the world are the Holocaust
and the Armenian massacre (Andreopoulos, 2018). This extreme and diabolical form of
acculturation grievously exists in the Philippines. The genocide of indigenous peoples,
especially the Lumad of Mindanao, remain a controversial issue in the Philippines’ political
climate. This written discourse begins by further defining and discussing genocide. It then
explores and enumerates the genocidal attacks on the Lumad of Mindanao and calls for action
and advocacy.
Genocide is a menace to human rights and an abororiginal response to cultural
difference. In detail, the aforementioned convention defines genocide as the undertaking of the
following acts with the intention of abolishing any kind of group: killing members of the group,
inducing bodily or mental injury to the group, destructing conditions of life of the group,
preventing births within the group, and compulsorily transfering children of a group to another
group. With all certainty, we can all say that such a crime is simply unacceptable to any society
as it scraps not only
intercultural dialogue, uniqueness, and acceptance, but also human
rights—the very foundation of peace, justice, and love.
In the Philippines, genocide of indigenous peoples remains a perrenial issue. Evidently,
over the recent years, the Lumad of Mindanao have sadly been recurrent victims of the atrocity
(Manlupig, 2015)​. For months, back in 2015, the Lumad people have experienced numerous
harassments, abuses,and indiscriminate firings by alleged government perpetrators and the
anti-communist paramilitary groups. 700 Lumads were displaced and hundreds of Lumad
students were left bereaved of attending classes as their schools were shut down and their
teachers were threatened to be harmed or to be put to death. Month after month, more Lumad
people were getting injured and killed, and more police violence cases were being reported. In
fact, as cited by ​Manlupig (2015)​, 5 Lumad citizens, including a 13-year-old and a 17-year-old,
were put to death by Special Forces in the area; the police claimed that they were rebels, yet
the New People’s Army denied the assertions saying the victims were merely civilians. And
among the other horrible events, on September 2 in the same year, at least 10 houses and a
Lumad school were burned by a paramilitary group, and 5 Lumad evacuees were arrested by
the authorities for handing out leaflets about the recent attacks on them.
These incidences are a few among the many genocidal events and issues in the
Philippines. In fact, there exists a law against the crime namely, ​The Philippine Act on Crimes
Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity
(Republic Act No. 9851 | GOVPH, 2009). ​However, in spite of having the aforementioned
constitution in place, why do these crimes continue? It is because of the cruel cycle of
corruption and bigotry in the state. The wheels of justice doubtlessly spin too slow and that is
why we Filipinos are called to take matters into our own united hands of resonating desire for
justice and peace.
Genocide, particulary of indigenous peoples, exists in the Philippines and should not be
overlooked. It is a peril to human rights and a distorted form of acculturation—the experiences
of the Lumad of Mindanao tell us all about its frightening existence and inhumanity in the
Philippines, that is why it is a need for us citizens to use our voices and other abilities to fight
against it. On a global scale, prevention, awareness, and intervention should be established on
this issue. To conclude, genocide of indigenous peoples exist in the Philippines and should be
eradicated at all costs. The story of the Lumad people tell us the country’s need for protection
against human rights violence.
Sources:
Andreopoulos, G. J. (2018). genocide | Definition, Examples, & Facts. In ​Encyclopædia
Britannica.​ https://www.britannica.com/topic/genocide
​Manlupig, K. (2015, September 16). ​TIMELINE: Attacks on the Lumad of Mindanao.​ Rappler.
https://www.rappler.com/nation/timeline-attacks-lumad-mindanao
​
Republic Act No. 9851 | GOVPH​. (2009, December 11). Official Gazette of the Republic of the
Philippines. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2009/12/11/republic-act-no-9851/
​Totten, S., & Hitchcock, R. (2002, August 0). ​Confronting Genocide and Ethnocide of
Indigenous Peoples: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Definition, Intervention, Prevention, and
Advocacy.​
ResearchGate.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/300179572_Confronting_Genocide_and_Ethnocide_of
_Indigenous_Peoples_An_Interdisciplinary_Approach_to_Definition_Intervention_Prevention_a
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